


Scribble name

by nieseryjna



Series: Neal by any other name [2]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Gen, Kid Fic, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-27
Updated: 2011-12-27
Packaged: 2017-10-28 06:16:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/304649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nieseryjna/pseuds/nieseryjna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Little Neal is signing his drawing</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scribble name

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Don't own anything beside the jingle of Neal's names :)
> 
> The best beta in the world is of course mam711!

 

Blue eyes were concentrated on the paper below his crayon. Small hand gripped the stick tightly line after line. Brows furrowed, tip of the tongue poking out of his lips. He put the last dot and set the crayon aside. He looked proudly at his scribbles; a smile started to grow on his face. His small hand gripped the page; he made a little hop from his chair to the floor and ran.

The small feet pounded on the floor, then on stairs. He ran into the living room screaming with enthusiasm, "Granma, Granma, look what I've done." Waving the scrap of paper in his hand he shoved it on the table just under an older lady's eyes.

The hand holding the needle stopped, eyes moved from the embroidery to above the spectacles' frame onto the boy's face.

"What did I tell you about running through the house, young man?" The words were spoken slowly with a heavy French accent and an ice-cold voice.

The boy's smile fell; he dropped his head and stared intently at his shoes. "Not to do it," he finally answered in a quiet voice. A moment later his head sprang back and he waved the page again, "but, look what I brought you. I signed it!"

The picture wasn't very difficult to recognize - two stick figures, one bigger, obviously female based on the triangle skirt, the second smaller, a boy; the figures were holding stick hands standing on grass created by many chaotic lines. The picture was finished with a signature. She squinted her eyes to better see the crooked letters.

"Nathaniel Ernst Albert Leopold, what in God's name is that? You should always write your full names while signing anything; and you have eaten part of your surname. It's McCaffrey!" The 'Mc' got lost as usual in the heavy French accent. "We need to get you some calligraphy lessons, your writing is worse than chicken scratches." She criticized the signature he was so proud of. His head fell again, tears running down his cheeks.

"How can I eat letters?" He sniffled. The question remained ignored.

A small bell chimed. A minute later a personal assistant to the older lady came in. "Annabelle, please organize calligraphy lessons for Nathaniel, and I think it's prudent to start art lessons too. The earlier the better."

"Yes, madam." The young woman disappeared back into the offices.

"Now, go to your room and practice signing your name. Full name, young man." She started back on her embroidery without another glance in his direction. He stood there undecided for a moment, glancing between his picture and his grandmother. He sniffled again, then got out of the room, slowly and silently.

The picture was left on the small coffee table. The dots between his names' first letters were obscured by the colorful lines of the grass, creating a unique signature: Neal Caffrey.

 

 _The End_


End file.
